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Is the real music dying ?

Hi guys,
I was fortunate enough to witness Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band play at the Stadium of light on Thursday. This is the second time I have seen him, the last time being 1985 on his Born In The USA tour. On Thursday he was on stage for roughly around 3 hours and 20 minutes and it was a fantastic show. No flashy stage set up, no pyrotechnics just a man and his music playing his way through a 30 odd year career.

Last night I watched another great performer on TV, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers live at the rain sodden Isle of Wight Festival. Again this guy, although in his 60's put on a great performance with a band that have been with him for most of his career.

Recently reported was that the Rolling Stones are preparing for one last hurrah, due to old age and failing health. I had a conversation with a colleague and fellow music lover and we are both in agreement that there is not much coming through to replace or take on the mantel of these great bands once they have gone.

As I have a wide interest in many musical genres, I would be interested in any opinions as to who they think will have any longevity in the music industry or has the king of "auto tune" Cowell ruined the music industry beyond repair?

If you watched Tom Petty on TV last night did you not see the previous band Elbow?

For my money Elbow are one of the best live bands around at the moment, I had tickets to see them today at Jodrell Bank, but my girlfriend cannot walk in mud, so we had to cry off. Hopefully conditions will be better at the Latitude Festival in Suffolk in July.

I'm an old fart now but I can't help liking Lady Gaga's type of singing and musical compositions. I know the videos are a bit near the knuckle but to listen to her songs through the "headphones", as they were called years ago, sounds to me as a great artist that shouldn't really depend on the visuals. That's modern technology though. She'll be around for a long time I think.

I noticed (with glee) in the Metro newspaper 2 days ago that 'Manhatten Transfer' of Chanson D'Amour fame & Maggie Bell (lead singer of) Stone The Crows are still going strong. I will be endeavouring to buy some concert tickets.

I've never been a Springsteen fan, but I acknowledge the fact that I'm probably in a minority.

There are plenty of very good performers around now, but I think it's much harder to become 'big' in the way that bands could do it years ago - there's more competition these days, and music genres have multiplied like rabbits.

Back in the day, music was very much about playing instruments and singing. Now it's as much about dancing and video, and session musicians. It will change - popular music styles and tastes do - but for the moment we have large numbers of very good performers not succeeding as well as some very bad performers. People who are driven to play and sing will continue to do it, and a few will become very successful. All will be well, the music business is by no means ruined beyond repair; it's just changing.

Although tastes change generally as you get older, your taste in music usually remains the sort of music enjoyed in your teens.

I have to admit to liking some of the new stuff but Rap passes me by completely and I'm amazed it has lasted 30 years, I gave it less than six months when I first heard it. My grand kids have grown up with it from birth through their teens and still chant along with it now. I don't like it but I believe now that it will survive for as long as the real rock from the 50s and 60s has.

Snec , just before I retire for the night, Rock evolved through the 50s and 60s to the pinnacle of groups such as Queen in my humble opinion. You now get variations of 'Rock' music and, to me , "heavy", "middle", "metal" and what ever sub categories goes on, it's no longer Rock.

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